


Ela

by thecreativewritingstudent



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: Abby is a really great friend, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, And more sex, Europe, Eventual Smut, F/F, Falling In Love, Feels, Inspired by Real Events, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Sex, Shameless Smut, Slow Burn, Smut, Teacher-Student Relationship, having a hard time writing smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2019-06-05 19:43:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 22,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15177965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecreativewritingstudent/pseuds/thecreativewritingstudent
Summary: Another alternative take on the famous Carol - Therese story. Read, please!





	1. It All Began Like That.

**Author's Note:**

> I won't tell you where I am from, neither where this fic takes place (btw its the same place) but it is in Europe guys. 
> 
> I grew up in a family full of Grecophiles so there is a lot of Greekness going on here. I speak some Greek, though not like a pro I am afraid, so feel free to ask me things, all though I will put the translations bellow when needed. 
> 
> English is not entirely my native language so if you find mistakes, tell so that I can fix them.  
> Love, A

Monday, 9/12/2016

First times... they hunt you forever. And trust me I am not the kind of person that likes first times. I like ordinary things, like ice cream and rom-coms and scotch, even though I don't drink too much. I like safety. And the first days of high school, with no one to know, are not my cup of tea. Changing school sucks. And I know that the new school was, and is, better than my last one, but it still sucked.

I got there late. The school bus got stuck in traffic and the kids from the kindergarten were also late. So when I finally got there, I had to climb so many stairs that I had to stop halfway to breathe and then continue. I thank god I found my classroom quickly enough after climbing the stairs, because what's worse than being tired and late for the first period of the year? Being tired, late _and_ lost. The corridors _looked_ all the same, all of them _smelled_ the same, something I will be thankful for in the following months, I had no idea why they smelled like that, but I do now. 

So, I made the mistake to enter the freaking classroom. The teacher stopped speaking, turned around to look at me and smiled evilly. "So you must be the new and extremely late miss Belivet, is that right?"

I murmured a yes, and I don't even know if I was heard. She showed me my seat, which was of course in the very front, near another new student, a lonely boy, which turns out had better communication skill than I did. I said hi, tried to make tiny, mini, small talk but he didn't even say his name. Awkward. 

_So fucking awkward._

"So miss Belivet, I am Professor Gerhard, I will be teaching you the course of biology and human anatomy this year. Are you any good in Biology?"

"I hope I am", I said nervously and my answer made the whole class giggle, which I then thought was good, but let's leave that for later, shan't we? She asked questions. So many questions. She wanted to get a glimpse of our level of knowledge. I wish I had participated more. I knew the answers but I was too afraid, and every time someone said the right thing, the thing I thought as the correct answer to her question, I would lower the head, defeated. 

"You are not as good as I hoped you would be." Said Professor Gerhard after the class. Most of the students had left the room to grab a bite before the next period or go to the restroom, which was the one and only place to learn the school gossips. It was something like a place to hang out and talk. Some of the students had come by to introduce themselves before getting out, which pleased me a lot.

"I knew the answers ma'am, I guess I was too shy to tell them, or too unsure."

"What sort of Path do you want to follow?"

"I am thinking about Law or Linguistics, Philology. Or something like that. I actually what to be a writer. Or maybe a professor" I said before continuing, "I really don't know yet."

"You'll find out. So not Biology, hmmm?" she said, leaving, not waiting for an answer.

 

I don't really remember the rest of the day, not much. But I do remember having a teacher in Ancient Greek that was way too happy to see us. And I swear to God, she had no idea of the Greek language or culture. She said she had gone to Greece when she was studying history and that she went to Mykonos to observe the statues. I doubt that Mykonos has any statues. Maybe the strip club named "Statues" but not any historical ones. She would open the book, read one sentence and then open Google to translate which was weird because Google does not translate Ancient Greek. Nobody speaks the language any more and even if Google could translate it, it would be messy because one word in Ancient is three or four in English, and some words cannot even be translated.  

 

I remember the last period. I do. And I don't think I could ever forget.

 

You know right away that some people are going to change your life. You just do. And she did change it.

I will never forget the first time I laid my eyes on her. It was as if I had been asleep all my life and then I saw her and I woke up. The feeling was overwhelming. I could not breathe and now that I think of it, I am sure I choked on my own saliva. And I made a fool of myself. And I was gawking like a coward and a weirdo more than I would ever gawk again and more than I had ever gawked before. 

The class was way too happy to see her. They almost clapped when she got in, looking like a sunny Sunday morning in her white short dress and her gold-coloured wedgies, and closed the door behind her. 

 

She always closes the door. She never leaves it open.

 

She was delighted to meet the new students. She always liked having new people in her class. She asked the new boy's name, which turned out to be Kith and then wanted to know my name.

"I am Therese Belivet."

"And I am Professor Aird. I teach History and Literature. Tell me something about yourself. I know the other students, I have been teaching them for quite some time. I want to know you."

"There's not much to know I am afraid. Certainly not things that would interest you" I said my eyes leaving hers, moving to her torso and then my hands.

"Try me then."

"Well, I write, I always have I always will, I play the piano. And I read, too much probably".

"Well, Therese, I write, play the piano and read as well."

She told us what we would be learning this year, in history, not in the other subjects that she would teach us. We talked about historical events which led us having a dialogue. Me and her. In front of the whole class. A decent conversation, not one someone would have on a date but I was able to make full sentences, actually filled with context _and they made sense!_

 

I think we were talking about the events in Smyrna and the Great Fire that occurred there. She thought that there was a Fire, a Destruction of the City because her grandmother was a refugee from there and told her all about it. 

Turns out I would be seeing her seven times a week, twice on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

I was not sad about that at all.

She paused the lesson a bit to check her Filofax. I asked her to get out for a bit because I wasn't feeling well and she let me. She was looking at me concerned with her lips turned up.

 

I got out, ran to the washroom and splashed my face with ice-cold water.

 

I looked in the mirror, then turned at the door and I saw her standing there.


	2. What The Hell Am I Doing here?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wish I was special  
> You're so fuckin' special  
> But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo.  
> What the hell am I doing here?  
> I don't belong here.  
> (Radiohead)

~~Monday 09/12/2016~~

 

“Therese” _a voice, pure as gold reached my ears. My heartbeat quickened and I could almost taste heaven between my lips. I had my eyes closed._ “Therese!” _The voice said again, louder this time, the sound burning my hearing_. “Oh, God, Terry, are you alright?” The voice, it changed...it became more girlish, more nervous... more _unknown_... 

I dared to open my eyes, looking right ahead of me to a blond head, clearly belonging to a human shorter than Carol. I moved my gaze to the face of the owner of the voice and it was just a classmate, a skinny, small girl, even smaller than me. Her name was Pauline but I wasn't sure then. She turned out to be a good girl. We weren't friends or anything. Just acquaintances. Truth to be told, I tried to befriend her but it didn't really work out. I guess she wasn't interested in meeting new people; but believe it or not, her best friend became that kid, Kith. So I guess she wasn't interested in getting to know me. 

Which is fine. It's fine even though I was literally alone all the year, my only friends my books and my piano sonatas. So I guess the rich kids didn't want me to be a part of them. What I still don't get is that I was an equal there. We were all well-off, so I was paying my tuition for the private school and I was, and I still am, well-read. I know things. I just do. I always have. So I don't understand their snobbish behaviour towards me. 

"Terry! Can I call you Terry?" she didn't wait for an answer, "Mrs Aird send me to see if you are ok. Are you?"

"Well, yeah, you know new school..."

"I don't. I have been here all my life. Since kindergarten to be exact... so yeah"

"Is it a fun school?"

"The words 'fun' and 'school' cannot be used in the same sentence, honey! Does it give you opportunities? Yeah. Does it help you develop and grow your talents? Yeah. Is it fun? No. It's school."

"I guess you are right. Just tell Mrs Aird that I'll be back in a sec."

 

I wasn't back in a sec. The bell rang and I ran off, walked down the stairs and tried to find my school bus. I saw _her_ cross the schoolyard to go to the parking lot. She was carrying two backpacks, the one with the Avengers on it and the other with SpongeBob on the front, and had by the hand two identical twin boys, not older than six years old. 

She was a mum.

She saw me and she smiled.

 

When I got home, I was so sad, I couldn't keep my tears from running. I was missing my last school. I missing my super gay best friend, who would soon forget my existence. The environment at the new High was so hostile and the kids were so poncey and sniffy. I didn't belong there. I was too good for them, too good to them. And I still think that I was if you ask me. 

I did not belong there. I was a bookworm, a music lover, a baker and cook. I loved cycling and golf. I wasn't shallow. I did not wear Abercrombie and Fitz just to say that I did. I hated every single piece of clothing from stores like Hollister or Nike. I was classy. I was raised with opera and classical music. I did not waste my time trying to become a cheerleader and I used to be Class and School President in my old school because I actually had knowledge on how to make the school better. I cared for people. So people were giving me their votes. I was not popular because I was the ''Class Slut'' or the Prom Queen. I was being me. And I guess people liked me. 

Well, they certainly did not at my new school. They most certainly didn't.

I put on my record player the only Radiohead vinyl that I owned and listened to it. Normally, I would have put on something jazzy. Some Glenn Miller or maybe something from Billy Holiday, but that day, wasn't normal. I didn't want to relax. I wanted to break things, cry and scream. I really wasn't in a good mood.

I put on my sexy nightgown, the one my gay best friend had gotten me, and even if it was still noon I went to bed.

You know when you lay half asleep, and the whole day silently replays in your mind, and you are in this state between sleeping and staying awake and you don't really know what its real and what it's not? And you say that you are just going to keep your eyes closed, just enough to savour the moment, and then you realise, just before falling asleep, that everything was real.

I fucking fell asleep listening to [Creep](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkzRNyygfk) by Radiohead. And I slept till the next morning.

Who does that? 

Me, I guess.

It is very bad to fall asleep on a song like that. It's very, very bad. It gets stuck in your head and it never goes away (well it goes away but you get what I mean). 

 

Tuesday 09/13/2016

 

The next day was worse than the first. It happens often to get stuck on the things you do and not understand that you are in pain. Well, that happened to me for the first four periods. Then a strange, weird headache came to me, like a lightning, blinding my eyes, making me unable to see ahead of me. 

I went to the administrative office to take a ticket to the school nurse, get a painkiller, maybe lay down a bit. Maybe get the fucking chance to get to go home. Yeah, that would be nice. But that didn't happen. I did not leave.

She said it was because I hadn't gotten used to the new school.

She fucking sent me to class. She did. She fucking did!

 

I went to the bathroom, washed my hands, splashed my face with water. And I heard my song.

You know the one I fell asleep to. 

 _But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo._  
_What the hell am I doing here?_  
_I don't belong here._

Holy angels singing. Pure heaven, the taste of sugar, the feeling of cold water on hot skin on a burning summer day. The smell of tobacco and fresh cut grass. Not mixed together, of course.

Carol exited the lavatory. She was trying to zip her long bohemian blue patterned dress, the zip of it situated on the side of the dress, leaving her ribs and part of the back exposed to my amazed eyes. 

"Hey, Therese!" she said happily but while frowning as she was still trying to zip her dress.

"You are singing my song."

"Am I? Well, must be fate." I swear to God that if I was braver or if I knew her better, I would go closer and zip it for her. I would let my fingers trace her sunkissed skin. I would make her look at me, I would move her longish blonde hair out of the way to see her eyes. And then I would leave. 

But I was a coward (and sadly unawarely aware of the fact that she was my married professor, something I could see from the huge rock on her finger).

"See you in class soon, Mrs Aird". That soon was five minutes after the incident in the bathroom.

Her dress was zipped but not perfectly and from where I was sitting I could see a little mole, so tiny I tried a lot to make sure it was there, just below her armpit, where the zipper was left unzipped, probably because it stuck there.

I was proud of myself even though I had a killing headache.

I didn't hear a word about Alexander the Great that day. And I didn't even care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo, tell me what you think!!


	3. Chasing Cars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Those three words  
> Are said too much  
> They're not enough  
> If I lay here  
> If I just lay here  
> Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GemKqzILV4w

They were arseholes. Really big arseholes. I would never understand the satisfaction one can take from bullying someone. I mean, is it the sense of having some sort of power over a person? Does it feel good to hurt someone? Do they do it to avoid their own problems? I just don’t get it.

The weird thing is that at my school we don’t really have popular kids. We are not that American-like high school. Do we have cliques and jocks and nerds? Sure! But popularity doesn’t exist that much.

So why bully? Why hurt people?

I will never forgive the pain they caused me for no reason. I was, I am a peaceful person. I couldn’t change the things that make me me just to make them like me. Yeah, I read and yeah I know literature. And yeah I am educated. I don’t spend my time watching porn and jerking off. I don’t burn my nerve cells watching football. I don’t want to be a fucking athlete.

And I am referring to a certain boy. A stupid fool boy, that made my life a living hell. I am referring to that jock who wants to pursue an athletic career without having any talent at all. _I am sorry dickhead, but you are talentless_. (Yeah, I am talking about you, Richard!)

It was the worst year a junior could ever have. As I had predicted, my best friend forgot my existence soon after my departure from my old school. So imagine my relief when I found myself in a hostile environment, full of hostile (or stupid) people; yeah there was a low-IQ boy, with no charm and wit that was hitting on me, yay! Go, Therese!) The theatre club sucked and the only talented clubber was a kleptomaniac brunette that stole all of my Chanel beauty products and some of my favourite pieces of jewellery, the classic rose-gold ones, the ones every millennial would wear. Not that I know if I am really a millennial but you know the trends. Most of the Generation Z and Baby Bloomers population copy Millennials because they lack their own trends. Plus, who doesn't like avocados and sloths and organic stuff and Michael Kors?

 

There was another girl. A blonde one, she was a little bit of a compulsive liar. I mean come on! Brain cancer? Really? And then having a relationship with an abusive boyfriend or trying to scare off people, telling them she would kill herself if they don't comply with her fucking awkward wishes? Really? I mean I get that people crave attention and that sometimes they do everything to get it, but that went a _little too far._

 

 _So yeah,_  what a great school year, right?

 

* * *

 

 

She haunted my fucking dreams. I would see her, looking like the morning sun, like a goddess, a nymph dressed in white cloths. She would be happy and calm, filled with untouchable sexual desires. She would lay down, on her white puffy linens and blankets and she would sleep with her husband at nights. She would give herself to him, she would surrender her body and he would surrender his. They would call each other ''darling'' not in a sarcastic and angry way, not in the way they did before. He would come home from work, dressed in his fancy 500$ navy blue suit, with flowers in his hands. She would look happy. And I was jealous for it.

And then for the first time in my life, I found myself completely and utterly in love. And I knew that I would anything, everything to see her happy and smiley. I promised myself that.

 

Monday 10/24/2016

The idea was simple. We read an extract from ''The Raven'' by Edgar Allan Poe, we analyse it, we act it. See, simple. 

Carol was kind enough to let the new kids, me and that guy Kith, choose whether we would participate. I kindly declined. I wasn't interested in acting out with the whole class that I knew that hated me. Kith was, weirdly, overexcited to act.

I sat in the corner, pulling my rainbow-coloured diary from my backpack, along with my iPod and my earphones. I hid it under the desk and pressed the play button. I put on my earphones and I got lost to "Chasing Cars'' by Snow Patrol.

“Nevermore.” Chanted Kith, his voice filling the whole room, his eyes looking at us as if he was consumed by pure darkness and madness. He was actually very good at it.

But my senses were filled with Carol and I found myself writing about her, and writing about her, and writing about her. And Kith chanted again; “Nevermore.” I didn't hear her coming to me, flushed in her grey Zara sweater. I would write and look at her and then write again. And she apparently understood that. “Nevermore.”

"Are you writing about me?'' She stared down at me. Her eyes, her beautiful grey eyes, clouded, confused, bright, happy. Her reddish lips curled up, like Mona Lisa. I clumsily hid my notebook, closing it and covering it with my arm, looking her in the eyes terrified.

"No, why would I be writing about you?'' but I _was_ writing about her. I would always write about her. About all the small things that made me fall for her deeply and unconditionally. 

"It's alright. Umm, nothing...I" she strumbled and stuttered over her words, her hand finding my arm, grabbing it for dear life, the length of her fingers making full contact with my burning skin. My eyes left her and I looked down at her manicured hand. She quickly withdrew it, leaving me missing her warmth. 

 

 

_All that I am_  
_All that I ever was_  
_Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see_

_I don't know where_  
_Confused about how as well_  
_Just know that these things will never change for us at all_

_If I lay here_  
_If I just lay here_  
_Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

 

"Please, continue what you were doing." Now that I think about it, now that I have had the two-years-long time to (fully) process everything, I wish I hadn't looked at her hand. I wish I had covered it with mine or at least flirt with her. Anything that wouldn't leave us in an awkward situation.

But bloody hell it did. And I don't know if I should be grateful for it. Because...dear Lord; after that day, I could feel her. I would know when there was tension between us, when she would want to talk to me. In the future, I would find myself alone in a room with her many times and I would know when she would like to start a conversation or when she would feel anxious. And I know that she could feel it too.

 

She left and I turned my iPod off.

 

After the 5th period, I was kissed by a boy from Barcelona named Jorge, you know, the low-IQ guy, inside the school restroom. I don't really remember much but I certainly cannot forget the fact that his plugged my mouth with his tongue. The feeling was overwhelming. Half of the time that we were kissing I was trying to figure out whether I liked it or not and when I understood that I didn't like it at all I was waiting for the kiss to end. It was so gross. That's not what it's supposed to feel like. You know, with the person you are meant to be with. It should feel like electric waves conquering your body, your whole existence.

And it should have less tongue and less saliva.

I mean dude, come on. I am not a postal stamp. And mind your efing teeth, I am not a hamburger! Bite less.

 

From that day on, I would cry out her name, like a prayer, like a song I love to sing, like an anthem, like a moan and a scream. She would come to my dreams smiling, sometimes with her hair curled around her face, sometimes short, sometimes long. Sometimes she would come to me in a restless night and would talk to me to sleep. Or I would dream of her naked in an unknown sunbathed apartment, drinking tea out of my porcelain teacups, eating cobbler or macarons, scratching the ear of a furry dog named Stardust. I would see us fighting, she would throw at me my expensive whisky glasses and I would yell at her. We would cry together and then apologise. Sometimes we would make love after our fights. I would take her to the shower and fuck her brains out. But sometimes we wouldn't have the strength to make love. We would sit on my white couch, we would look at the flames in the fireplace; and we would sleep there, our limbs curled together, a thick plaid blanket covering our tired bodies.

That's how I would see her from now on. And I loved it.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well??


	4. Anything But Ordinary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little jump in the future.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dxVVt3IdIg  
> I will add the translation of the lyrics below.

Saturday, 02/24/18

The trip to Athens was quite easy. I found the airport in Athens to be quite fun to walk through. The school had rented us a silver Toyota to move around the city. The landscape was simply brilliant. There were trees everywhere until we entered Athens, you couldn't see any ''greenery'' there but the air had something magnificent in it.  
I had never been to Greece before.

I decided that I needed to take part in the trip just the day before the departure. Carol had insisted that I went. There was a conference there about the importance of Greek and Latin culture in the shaping of Modern Europe. I had to go. I knew that I had. I was the one that the school originally wanted to be the representer of our school because of my interest and my knowledge in the Greeks and their language but my ignorance in the Latin language was the reason that "that kid" Kith came along. He was a "Rome Expert". He knew everything about the emperors and the language and the beliefs of the people of ancient Rome. I didn't know a thing.

The school itself didn't manage to persuade my mother to let me go to Greece. According to her, this trip was unnecessary for my both my cultural, social and professional development. She claimed that the trip was quite expensive and without real reason. The weird thing is that my late father left me a huge amount of money to spend on my education and my first steps into adulthood. So there I was. At my first steps into adulthood. At my 18 years of age, I thought that the time where I would make decisions about my life had come, so I had the perception that I would decide whether I would go to the conference and whether I wouldn't. But it turned out that I couldn't take matters into my own hands.

My mother wouldn't even listen to my plea to take part. But one night, I saw her speak with my stepdad about that money and I remembered that I legally had the right to use that money however I liked, so I entered the kitchen and looked at them in the eye.  
"I will take part in that trip. And you will not stop me. I am legally responsible for my wellbeing and my heritage. This house that you live in, is mine. The money that my father left me is mine. So I do whatever I want with them. So to be clear". That was the last thing I said to my mother before I climbed the stairs to my bedroom to pack my suitcase.  
I took with me the things I considered to be essential for my trip; my white MK bathing suit for the inside pool of the hotel, a regular cream suit and a white shirt, a black A-line office dress with a matching blazer and a nice patterned neck scarf and my pine tree green blazer with its matching trousers and a white v-neck t-shirt and of course nude heels for these days. These were my conference outfits. I also packed my fat jeans, a grey Harvard hoodie that belonged to my ex-best friend's brother, ''Mulholland drive'' t-shirt, some faux leather leggings and my black turtleneck sweater. The undergarments I chose were strangely sexy and beautiful. I even packed my sexy nightgown and its robe. I unpacked and laid my green outfit on the bed and took my grey short ribboned Uggs out of their place to wear them during the flight. I couldn't possibly wear stilettos at school or at the airport. 

According to the programme, we would spend three days at the conference and then we had three more to spend as we pleased. On day one, we would spend the day in Athens after settling into our hotel, on day two, we would analyse the Greeks. On day three, we would focus on the Latinos and their perceptions about law and religion and how that defers from the greek ideas and on day four we would dig into European Civilisation. On the remaining days, we would tour and visits some museums. Kith and I would be accompanied by Carol because of her knowledge of the topics.

So, what could actually be better than that?

I quickly emailed the school counsellor to let her know about my going to Athens and then called my dad's attorney to transfer the required amount of money to the school's bank account. I was all set.

 

So, on the 24th of February, I called a cab to drive me to the airport, checked in, found my gate and there I found Carol. 

"Hey, where's Kith?" I asked her trying to sound carefree and cool. But then she got up, the wool pashmina, that I adored and had seen her wearing so many times, that was covering her then seated body, fell down to the floor. She was radiant. Her tight orange office dress was hugging her curves beautifully and my arms almost reached out to her. I was not the chill and cool person I wanted to be anymore. Stupid orange dress.

"Well, good morning to you too, Therese! I wasn't expecting to see you, the counsellor informed me that you were coming with us today," she said happily. 

"Oh, I am sorry. I often forget all the ''good mornings'' and the greetings".

"I don't really believe that. Anyway, Kith is over there. Probably buying some chips and some magazines for the flight. I think he is quite afraid".

"I know. Flying is scary".

"But, wait a second," she said, her expression changing, "you are afraid as well?"

"Of course I am."

"So, I am terrified, and you two are afraid as well? Good God, this is a disaster! And I was hoping that I would remain sober on this trip."

"Don't worry. I always drink when I fly. I'll keep you company".

"I cannot let you drink, Therese," she said desperately. "I am your teacher. This is a school trip".

"Mrs Aird, I am eighteen now. And since I am terribly afraid, if I want to drink to remain alive on the flight, I surely can find a way to drink without you noticing. In fact, I can tell you that I am now heading to the toilet, go to the store over there, keep Kith some company and drink the whole bottle of a 28€ worth chardonnay that I can buy there."

"Therese, please. I cannot let you drink."

"Then you ask for alcohol on air and I drink the half. Deal?"

"Therese."

"Deal, Mrs Aird!"

"Ok, deal, I promise you, you won't get afraid."

"Thank you."

 

In the end, she didn't let me drink. I was sitting next to her on the plane and next to her was Kith. I asked the air hostess for some whiskey but she brought me some unsweetened black tea and for Carol some green tea.

"How does she know that I take no sugar in my tea?" I asked Carol after the hostess left.

"She doesn't. I do," she said her eyes piercing mine.

"But, we had a deal."

"Yeah. I know. Give me your hand". She gently brought her hand near mine and waited for me to grab it. And I did. She then entwined our fingers and squeezed her eyes shut. She didn’t leave my hold until after we landed. And I didn’t leave her’s either.

 

The Athens airport was incredible. Maybe not the most beautiful airport but it had that aura that I instantly loved. It felt weird as if the ground I was walking on was buzzing. I felt powerful. Kith was next to me, carrying his trolley bag instead of scrolling it, still wearing his plane pillow. And Carol was ahead of us, scrolling her Louis Vuitton suitcase, wearing her sunglasses.

I felt out of place. She was rocking her look but Kith and I were definitely looking like two teenage tourists that were never seen by the sun. The locals would talk to her in Greek and she would answer in her weird accent. When they would talk to us they would speak in strange and funny-sounding English. 

When we got out of the airport I felt utterly happy. I saw Carol approaching a man that held a square piece of paper with her full name on it written in red marker. She told us to follow her and we all followed that suited man until we reached the parking lot. He showed us to the car we would be using. It was that small Toyota that I mentioned earlier. He gave the keys to Carol and we got in. Carol in the front and we the pupils in the back. 

She activated the GPS system and that quickly led us to the Center of Athens. Our 5-star hotel was situated somewhere in Kifisia and it was very cosy. But we had some problems to solve. Apparently.

”Good Evening! I am Carol Aird. We have come for the conference. We have already booked two rooms. I would like to book another one.”

”Hello, Mrs Aird. Yes, we have been expecting you. One more room you said? Let me check please,” said the young boy at the reception. “Unfortunately we have only the presidential suite available to be let and I wouldn’t recommend choosing it. Is the room for the girl behind you?”

”Yes,” I stepped in. “I thought that the school would have already contacted you about my arrival.”

”No, miss. I am terribly sorry. But I think we can make this work. We can arrange for the room of Mrs Aird to be modified to accompany you as well. In the meantime, Yannis over there will help Mr Kith, I suppose, with his bag and show him to his room. You can wait in the bar or in the lobby as your room is getting prepared. How does that sound?”

”Ok, Alexandros. Make it quick,” said Carol.

”You know him?” I said as Kith left. 

“Yes. This is not my first conference.” 

“Oh. Alright.” I paused a bit. "Do you mind terribly?"

"Do I mind what?" she asked taking her iPhone out of her bag and clearly opening the text app since she began typing. That was really weird. I mean I knew that she wasn't really paying attention to me, but speaking and texting... I mean what was I? Invisible?

"About the room, Mrs Aird. About the room". I spoke with force, my voice bitter and my eyes clouded with a stern look. An angry one. One that made her look at me, removing her eyes from the screen.

"No. I don't mind. Besides, I couldn't possibly let you sleep with Kith. That would be inappropriate."

"Why?"

"He is male. You are female."

"And?"

"Let's just say that the school would like to protect your... what can I say?"

"My virginity?" I interrupted her and asked amused.

"Yes. But not only that. Teenagers tend to be careless. You know. We would like to protect both of you from diseases and all that."

"I get that you want to protect us from contracting diseases. But that virginity thing is quite weird. I am mean, the school doesn't know if I am a virgin or not".

"Are you? A virgin, I mean." she looked terrified. This conversation was clearly very awkward.

"I am."

"Well, now the school does know." 

 

Thankfully the staff that would help with our bags and lead us to our room came shortly after our conversation had died off. He was a gentle boy, filled this kindness.

After he showed us to our chamber he didn't wait for a tip and that's why I tipped him generously. He smiled so broadly. He must have been my age. Maybe nineteen, twenty years old. He gracefully bowed a bit and left.

"That was very kind of you," said Carol, finally looking at me fully in the eyes, her look gentle and precious.

"He was very kind. And sweet. It was the least I could do". She just nodded, her eyes leaving mine, wondering on the floor.

"I think I'll take a bath. Would you like to use the bathroom before I go?" I asked, putting my suitcase on the large bed that the hotel prepared for me. It wasn't as big as Carol's but it was beautifully decorated with cushions and pillows.

"No, you can go. I'll use it after you."

 

As I was bathing I couldn't help touching myself, thinking that Carol was just ten meters away from me. So I filled the bathtub with warm water, spilt in some of the gel I brought from home and entered the water. I brought my hand to my core and imagined how I would pleasure her and mimicked the actions to me. I almost screamed.

I got out after about an hour, wearing the monogrammed hotel robe. I saw her on the balcony, smoking scratching her scalp. She was only wearing a light nightie. I approached her. The radio was on. I was hearing something I hadn't heard in a very long time. I remembered my father singing me this song to sleep. I remember him whistling this tune after he would return home from his excavations in Crete.

 

Νύχτα μαγικιά μια σκιά περνά   
σκέψου τώρα τη φωνή   
που σου ’λεγε, ποτέ, ποτέ μαζί   
  
  
Βάδιζα σκυφτός, ήσουν ουρανός   
με των άστρων τη μουσική   
μου τραγουδάς, ποτέ, ποτέ μαζί   
  
  
Μάγισσα χλωμή, το στερνό σου φιλί   
ξεχασμένη μουσική   
μια μαχαιριά, ποτέ, ποτέ μαζί 

 

"I thought you didn't smoke," I said standing behind her. 

"I don't," she said. "Normally I don't. But today. Today is different."

"Is everything alright?" I asked, moving to stand next to her.

"I don't know." She looked lost but after a minute, she turned and looked at me. "Tell me about you."

"What do you want to know about me?"

"Why didn't you come to last year's conference in Rome?" she asked me while she brought the cigarette to her mouth.

"Oh, I have been to Rome many times. I know almost every corner of it. I seek experiences, I am a writer. Plus, I didn't have any friends then. The students that participated hated me. So, why bother? I actually won a literature competition when you guys were away."

"What competition? Other than the school ones that you have already won?"

"Yes, other," I said, smiling broadly, almost laughing.

"You are a real talent, you know that right? Sometimes your writing blows my mind. Are you working on something now?"

"I am working on my writing in English."

"Why?"

"Well, our language is really nice, but I am seeking something more. Local readers aren't enough. I want to be a great writer. I don't want to be ordinary."

"Therese, you are anything but ordinary. You are special. So very special."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well?  
> Translation:  
> Magic night, a shadow goes by,  
> think now the voice,  
> that was telling you, we'll never, ever be together. 
> 
>  
> 
> I was walking bent, you were the sky  
> with the music of stars,  
> you sing to me, we'll never, ever be together. 
> 
>  
> 
> Pale sorceress, your last kiss,  
> forgotten music,  
> a stab, we'll never, ever be together.


	5. Expect the Unexpected

Carol smoked a whole pack of Marlboro cigarettes that night on the balcony and some of my own as well. 

"I didn't know _you_ smoked", she said grabbing my Davidoff's, taking a cigarette from the freshly opened pack.

"I don't smoke. Not really. You know, I have always seen my father smoke when he was in stress. So I occasionally buy one pack, in case something happens. You know, this kind of situation that you say 'I wish I had a cigarette right now'. So, I don't normally smoke, but as you said, today is indeed not normal''. I brought my hand to her space so that she could pass me the packet and when she did I grabbed one for me, bringing it to my lips. "God, I'd kill for a bottle of Chardonnay right now", I continued. I took the lighter from the table next to us and lighted my cancer. 

"You shouldn't drink so young. You'll have problems with your liver growing up". I thought of asking her rhetorically then whether it was illegal to drink at eighteen but she spoke before I could bring my thoughts a step further;

"You know," she said, "they have wonderful chardonnay here in Greece".

 

We didn't speak very much for a long time; hours maybe. But that did not bother me. The silence that fell over and covered us as if it was a warm woollen quilt was comfortable, familiar, intimate. Homey even. It felt good, that silence. We didn't have to talk all the time; we both knew that. We did. I lit up my last cigarette and she told me she was heading to bed, so she left me in the cold (but not as cold as in our country's) weather. I stayed there for a while, thinking about her. She had this aesthetically pleasing sensual aura. She could make every person in the room with her either gawk at her or desire her. It was known to almost everyone in the school (including her) that every man and some women as well wanted to bed her. They would always flirt with her and sometimes she would flirt back. Not because she was interested or maybe because she felt desire and lust for them but out of kindness and sympathy. Thinking about that made me hot. 

Not horny-hot. But angry-hot.

I wanted to scream and yell; but even though the Greeks could sometimes get kinda loud, it would still be weird to them to see a bathrobed teenager screaming from the balcony of a 5-star hotel in a language that was foreign to their ears. So... so I didn't make a sound.

But she did.

From the slightly open door, I could hear the sound of a very gentle and soft snoring. It was coming from her.

She was sleeping in my bed.

My nightclothes, the sexy nightie, was laid on her bed next to its matching robe and lace panties. Dear God. Please give me strength.

I slept in her bed. I barely slept.

 

* * *

 

 

As I always, I had my eyes on Carol. She was so beautiful, sleeping soundly with the blanket covering half of her body, her left breast had slipped from the nightie and was in open view for my hungry eyes. I almost got up to cover her up, to save her from the upcoming embarrassment. Instead, I went to the bathroom to pee. I went to the fucking bathroom to fucking pee. Then, I got in the shower and took the gel to make foam so that I could wash off last night's sweat. After that, I washed my hair with my maple-smelling shampoo and conditioner. I let the warm water calm my (and my nerves) down. I stayed under the pouring rain of relaxing water for about half an hour.

I got out, washed my teeth and brushed my hair. I took the freedom to stare at my body through the mirror. I noticed all the little things that made it special. The small curves, the stretch marks, some freckles, my cone-shaped boobs. That was me.

I got out with only a towel covering my nakedness.

"Goodmorning, sunshine," said Carol out of the blue. "Oh, wet hair look. Suits you. You should do it more often".

"Jesus! Good God!" I screamed, almost letting the towel drop. "I thought you were sleeping". Her breast was still staring at me which was weird since she was holding a mug of hot coffee near her chest. "Aren't you cold? You should cover up. Don't want to catch a cold or something!" I said awkwardly trying to make her cover her sweet boob. She then looked down, saw the perfect little art exhibition some call 'tit' and moved her hands, that were still holding the cup, to cover up.  

"Oh, God! I am so sorry! Oh, I feel so embarrassed!" she exclaimed while covering up.

"It's ok. Is there more coffee?"

"Yes, I made some for you as well."

"Great, thanks. The bathroom is all yours". She got up, taking her cup with her, leaving me alone in the room. I quickly got dressed up and did my make up. 

I was really freaking out. She was there, in the bathroom, all by herself and naked. I could fee her aura, so sensual and pure, radiating through that bathroom door. I sensed her so close, I could almost taste her skin. I craved for her. She had to be mine. I had to have her. Now, or later. I actually thought of opening the door that would lead me to her. I thought of entering the shower with her. I could easily take her there. I would slide her leg high enough to have easy access to her core. I would enter her and the exact same time I would kiss her round lips, red from desire and I would fuck her senseless. Not that I had much experience of course; porn and novels don’t really count, I think. But I wanted her. I loved her. I needed her as if she was the air that I breathe.

But of course, I couldn’t do that. Not only she was married but she was a woman. And I was a woman the last time I checked too. The gay population clearly lacked the numbers to even have a chance with her. She was my professor as well.

I was doomed. Clearly and extremely doomed.

But it’s known, in the school community, that her marriage was not as normal as any other. The couple that everyone knew as the perfect one was gone. He was always absent, he never watched any of their kid’s school plays any more. Rumour has it that he was having an affair with the school nurse. Others said that he was in love with one of his university students. Others said that she was a lesbian because of her close friendship with Mrs Gerhard.

But truth to be told, no one knew the actual truth. No one but Carol and, her husband, Harge.

I didn’t wait for her to exit the bathroom. I went to the dresser, picked up the yellow pad with the hotel’s name on it and wrote her in a small note that I would be heading to the breakfast buffet downstairs. I wrote to her to meet me and Kith there.

 

* * *

 

 

”I love French toast,” said Kith with his mouth full. “I mean it’s great. But I wish I could eat some pancakes”.

”God, Kith. Here, have mine.” I said, moving my plate of blueberry pancakes to him. “Can I ask you a question?”

”Sure, girl.”

”What’s wrong with your name?” He almost choked with that. “I mean it’s not Keith. It’s Kith. How come?”

”My real name is Christopher. It’s greek and it means the one carrying the cross of Jesus to the rest of the world. Kith is short for that.”

”I didn’t know you were religious,” I said pointing at the symbol hanging from his neck. 

“I am. But the priest of my neighbourhood forbad me from entering the ‘Church of our Lord Jesus’ as he said. He saw me kissing Jorge.”

God, had that kid kissed everyone in school?

”I didn’t know _you_ were religious,” he said pointing at the symbol hanging from my neck in return. 

“I wasn’t till my father died. This,” I said grabbing at the cross to show it to him, “was my father’s. So when he passed away I took it. Hoping that God wouldn’t hurt me again”. 

“He won’t”. He said and he repeated that. 

 

Carol came a bit late for breakfast. She just grabbed some coffee for the conference and stole an apple for later. She didn’t speak to me.

”Hey, Kith. Good morning!”

”Oh, hey Mrs Aird.”

”So, where do you think we should go after the conference?”

”What do you mean?” Said that-kid-Kith.

”Well, according to the programme, after the conference, we are to go to a bar, a theatre or whatever. Get to see Athens”.

”I’ll just stay here. Take a nap. Watch some Greek trash tv”.

”You sure?” Asked Carol, waiting for Kith to change his mind. 

“Yep. Positive. But you can always go to a bar with Therese. She loves bars.”

”Okay, then”.

 

* * *

  

It had been three hours since the beginning of the conference and it was wrong. It was all wrong. They knew nothing. They felt nothing. I couldn't possibly believe that Harvard students were actually that ignorant. "But think about it first," I stated before continuing. "The Greeks understood that power. They made Love a God. And then the Latinos did too, after them. The name makes no difference. Eros or Cupid or Sex. Or whatever. No matter the name, the power remains the same. The vibes between two people regardless of their age, their nationality, their religion, their race and regardless of their sex. Think of Sapho. She was one of the most respected women among men in an era where equality didn't exist because of the power that love for women gave her.

The Greeks discovered that profound energy and made it a God so that this thing we call "Love" could be transmitted to the future generations. In addition, the foundation of Christianity rests on that perception. God is love and love is God. And what did John say? 'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.' because love is not only sexual. We love our friends, family and partners. The emotions that we feel about them are all forms of Love. And that's why love is so important to our civilization. That's why Europe was based on the religious believes of Christianism. 

The mistakes we have made, the ones we will and all the things we have done right and the things that we will make right, all the acts of kindness that we will be a part of in the future are because of love". And with that, I sat down. The brown-haired gal from Harvard looked terrified and sad. She was quiet.

And Carol... she turned to look at me with heartfelt joy and pride. Sensuality.

Two hours after that day one of the conference ended.

 

 


	6. Tender Is The Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get emotional.. and...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My native language is not English so pay no attention to my mistakes. If you find some, tell me to make them right.

The bar was excellently cosy. The beige painted walls stood tall to meet an elegantly drawn ceiling with angels and other renascence drawings in white, burgundy, baby blue, light shades of yellow and gold. There were beautiful wall lights and multiple pictures on its walls, some of them classical pieces and others fine choices of contemporary art.  
The floor was made of fine cherry wood. Probably. And there were carpets in the shades of red and beige.  
The tables were expensive-looking and upon them were two or three blue hydrangeas. It was magnificent. I could hear Puccini’s Nessun Dorma” flirt with my ears. It was pure magic.

  
The host showed us to a table situated a bit far from the others. In a more secretive let’s say location in the room.

  
“There you are, ladies”, he said gently. He left two menus on the candlelit table, one with the wines and one with the rest of the beverages. “Would you like me to make a suggestion? For the drinks?”

  
”No, but thank you.” Said Carol, moving a hand to place some hair behind her ear.

  
”What about you ma’am?”

  
”I think I can manage, thank you kindly”. I said very gently, trying to sound as serious and composed as I could. The elegantly dressed man left, leaving us alone. I couldn’t really make myself look at Carol. I knew I wanted to, but what could I say? ‘I love you’? ‘I need you’? ‘I have craved your body for so long’? No. I couldn’t say such things. I simply couldn’t- but there she was, so pure, beautiful, somehow sad. She was in front of me, dressed in her green satin dress, the one she bought from the hotel’s Boutique just before we left the hotel.

  
_I can’t say anything. I can’t talk. I can’t breathe. I think I am dying. She has bewitched me._

 

  
”I’ll have the old-fashioned. What will you have?”

  
”What?”

  
”I said,” I looked at her perfectly red lips, moving so sensually as she voiced the words. “I’ll have the old-fashioned. What will you have?” Her voice sounded like velvet in my ears, _Dilegua, o notte! Tramontate,_ stelle _! Tramontate,_ stelle _! All'alba vincerò_ , I felt my heart melting.

  
“I don’t know. You pick it.” I sounded very cool and chill and confident and self-assured. I think. I might have gotten red. But the lighting was covering all warm tones or shades of other colours. She looked pale, everyone looked pale. I had to look as well.

  
“Well, you said you wanted a Chardonnay. So, you’ll have a Chardonnay.” She waved her hand gracefully and the man that helped us to our table came to take the orders.

  
“I suppose you are ready?” He said, moving his hands behind his back.

  
“I am always ready”. Said Carol, and I almost choked on my breath. “She’ll have a Chardonnay, the ktima Gerovasiliou of 2016 one. And I’ll have an old-fashioned.” She finished and the man moved to leave, but then I placed my hand on his arm, stopping him, attracting a mean glare from Carol and a flirty one from the waiter. “Could you please bring me some scotch as well? Talisker, no ice, please”. I said sweetly.

  
”Are you sure you can drink all that?” He said, his white teeth glowing a little too much in the pale lights.

  
“Bring them and we’ll see”. I flirted back for no reason. Maybe I was trying to distract myself from her charms. I wasn’t successful in doing so. But she was staring at me. Deeply. I couldn't breathe.

  
"Tell me more about yourself, Therese". She said, making me look at her again. Making the waiter leave us alone. What did she want to know? I was easy to figure. Predictable even. I was always listening to music, I had an eye for photography, and I read. So I guess she knew all about me anyway. "What do you want to know?" I asked, not afraid any more. I looked at her straightly, my eyes piercing hers. _I was not afraid_. _I was not afraid._

  
"Everything. Everything. I know you for so long and yet, I can't really figure you out. Tell me. Where did you grow up?"

  
"Well, I grew up in the suburbs of our city. In a beautiful Victorian house. My father designed some of the alterations we made. It's really beautiful to live there. But I don't live there any more. My mum brought another house, a couple of miles away from home. So I live there, but I am planning to move to my old one now that I am old enough to leave her."

"Thank you. So you're eighteen now right?"

  
"Yeah".

  
“You’re still a child”.

 

“No. No, I am not. I haven’t been for a long time now”.

  
"Yeah, I remember listening to the story of your life, so, I guess you are right. And won't you ask my age?"

  
"Well, I think that would be quite impolite".

 

"Alright", she said. The waiter left out drinks on the table. She grabbed hers and took a large sip. "Mmm. this is good. Ok, how old do you think I am?"

  
"Ummm, thirty-eight?”

 

“Thirty-five”

  
“Good God. I’m sorry.”

 

“Why are you sorry?”

 

“I said you were older than you actually are.”

 

“I don’t mind. Really. Most of the people that have asked me that question think that I am in my early forties or middle forties or something. ”

 

"Should I say thank you?"

 

  
"I really think you should."

 

 

* * *

 

  
We were too many drinks in. Flirting with her came naturally. Now, after all the months that have passed and I think about it, maybe it was the alcohol that spoke on my behalf. Maybe all of the feeling that I have been hiding for so long. I don't know. I, for one, do not regret anything. I will never regret. I know it. I always have.

 

* * *

 

“To where, ma’am?” Shouted the handsome taxi driver to an extremely drunk Carol. But thinking it now, maybe she wasn’t that drunk.

  
”There is a five-star hotel called ‘Theoxenia Palace’. Do you know it? It’s in Kifissia”

  
”Sure, I do! Wow, fancy choice!” He said happily. We entered the back of the taxi, apparently sitting too close since our knees were touching. It wasn’t weird though. Carol was a ‘toucher’. And a hugger. She would always touch the people she knew well and liked. It was a weird form to express her likeness towards them. She would always hug them. She hadn’t hugged me yet, but she would somehow be touching me from time to time and now our knees were touching. I was a happy woman.

  
The ride was short, as I expected it to be. We arrived quickly and Carol urged me to exit the cab quickly. She gave the driver a very generous tip and sent him off.

  
“Welcome back, Mrs Aird!” Said the doorman.

  
”Hello, Paul”. She wasn’t unkind to him. The salutation did sound a bit cold but her hand reached and grabbed a gentle hold of his left shoulder blade before letting go to enter the hotel. She led me to the elevators and we waited there for quite some time in awkward silence, aware of the tension building around us.

  
When the doors slipped open we got in and -

  
“Thank you for tonight. For sharing so much with me. I’ve had a wonderful night, darling. Truly.” And then she did the thing I least expected. She hugged me.

  
Her breasts pressed against my upper chest because of the height difference. She had her arms and hands wrapped around me and I knew I couldn’t escape. She was real. And we were both there, on that fruity-smelling elevator.

  
When she released me, I saw a tear run from her cheek, out of the blue. It was just there, shiny and watery. So I took the liberty to run my fingers against her skin to caress her and wipe it off.

  
“Why are you crying?” I said but was quickly silenced by her lips.

  
I wasn’t sure it happened at first. I had imagined it so many times and yet when it actually happened my mind couldn’t believe it. But it was real because after a while I felt her hands slightly pull my hair out of passion and I knew it then, that that was the day that I loved her the most. I circled her waist with my arms, my tongue licking her bottom lip, asking for permission. It was quickly granted. Her taste was divine. The alcohol made her bitter but at the same time, I could taste just a little bit of lemon on her tongue.

  
We came back to our senses from a disapproving sound coming from the elevator door. An old lady stood there, so elegant in her CHANEL suit.

  
“You know, have some self-control.” She said but not unkindly. Carol remained silent. So did I. But the silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable anymore. I could feel the hands that not so long ago were roaming all over my body radiating from their hiding spot in the pockets of Carol’s expensive white mink coat.

  
Her skin was glowing; was it from the lust she felt? Was it love, fear or confidence? I didn’t care all I wanted was to kiss her again.

  
The elevator stopped at our floor, and we exited, leaving the old lady behind us. Carol was walking towards our room ahead of me but something had changed. Her form looked weird as if she was scared and insecure with me by her side, so when we finally entered our chamber I was surprised that she moved to hug me. I didn’t reject the hug of course. How could I? She was Carol.

  
“Darling. My darling,” she whispered her forehead resting against mine. “I want you to know that-“ I stopped her with a forceful kiss. I didn’t want to know. I knew that she was going to say something that would sadden me. So I didn’t let her. I kissed her passionately, my hands gliding all over her back, coming to rest on her neck. She kissed me back and when I felt her moan in my mouth I pushed her against the door, making it close loudly and I pressed our bodies fully together. I pressed my hand to her ass and she broke the kiss to breathe, her head hitting the door as she backed off, just a bit.

  
“I want you” I whispered. “I want you so much”.

  
“Therese,” she said, looking at me gently and somehow sadly, “we can’t go that far”.

  
”Carol”. I murmured her name over and over again, savouring the feeling of it leaving my mouth, setting aside all the formalities. “Let go.”

  
And she did. She crashed her lips to mine, sealing my mouth with her taste. She stayed there for a while, her tongue against mine. When we came up for air she moved to my neck.

  
What I didn’t understand was why she was interested. But I couldn’t ask. She would probably stop her attack and withdraw herself with a saddened expression. So I didn’t ask.

  
Her hands came up from their place in the small of my back to the front of my dress. She touched me there a bit before removing my black coat. Her fingers then hooked under the small stripes that held my dress together.

  
I pushed her away. I kissed her again, in a somehow childish way though, and moved my hands to the zip of her green dress, my mind wandering back to that September day where I imagined zipping her dress. Now I was unzipping it.

  
”I’ve wanted this for so long”. I murmured, bending just a bit to kiss the small mole under her armpit.

  
She was busy guiding me with her hands in my hair, so when she finally pushed my downwards, I was extremely excited. I could smell her juices. Her beautiful beige satin thong had a small wet spot on the front.

  
Oh, God.

  
I moved up, making her growl in disapproval. “I am not gonna fuck you like this now. Not now. Not on our first time” I whispered to myself but I think she heard it because I felt her relax. I guided her to the bed.

  
When she sat down and I came close to her, she hugged my form. Her head rested against my belly so I stroked her hair.

  
She was vulnerable. I didn’t know why. I cared. I really did. But at that time I had to have her. I know I was selfish. But I had to. I believe it was for the best.

  
”Lay down, Carol.” She moved to lay on the bed but then my hand stopped her by grabbing her arm. “But, hey! I want you to know that I would do anything ok?”

  
”Um, for what?” She asked nervously.

  
”To make you feel my love.” She blinked a couple of times. She didn’t say a thing. We stared at each other for a while. I took the liberty of untying my dress, letting it fall to the floor. I stood there, only in my panties and heels. My breasts looked proudly at her, the peaks as hard as sour cherries. I thought of removing my underwear as well but I had to undress her as well. I moved my hands to her shoulders and took her mink off and then the dress I had unzipped earlier. She looked mesmerised. She looked pale and younger. So much younger. 

We stood still again. Her lips were pinkish and swollen from my kisses. I moved to kiss her again but she was quicker. Our mouths united and with a swift motion she got up and sat me to the bed before laying me down to kiss the valley between my breasts. 

“So beautiful” she murmured again and again before bringing our lips back together. 

It was forceful. The kiss. Passionate and sweet. But it didn’t last long enough. She got off of me and took a bit to look at me. Her hand moved to her thighs and rubbed simultaneously the inner side of them. She took off her panties and I didn’t resist getting up a bit to stare at her cunt. She wasn’t entirely bald there. She had a few golden curls, some darker, some blond. Her clit stood there peaking from its hood and lips.

And then she took her bra off. 

My dear Lord Jesus Christ.

”Come here, I want to taste you”. I said that out loud. I did. And she liked it since she came closer so that I could wrap my lips around her brown areolae. I licked the tip of her tit slowly, circling gently, tasting her. I moved to the next and took my time sucking, leaving little bites as I did so.

”Have you done this before?” She asked, her head thrown back in ecstasy.

”I told you I read. Too much probably.”

”For the love of God, don’t stop”. She pushed my head closer but I showed resistance. 

“Lay down, Carol”. And she did. I motioned her further onto the bed and settled between her legs.

”What are you doing?”

”Something I wanted to do for a long time”. And I licked her. Slowly. She moved, moaned and murmured words I couldn’t comprehend. I didn’t care to understand them actually. 

 

Oh, how I loved her ass.

 

I started from her entrance, moving my tongue painfully slow towards her clit. “More, darling. Please more”. She breathed. So I gave her what she wanted. With my left hand, I grabbed her right buttcheek and placed the right one near her entrance, circling slowly with the tip of my middle finger as I sucked on her clitoris. “Yeah, more”, she moaned hungrily. I entered her with one finger and when I saw that there little difference to her moans I pulled out and entered her again with both my index and my middle.

She stopped breathing, letting a surprised sound, an almost pained one, like she wasn’t expecting me to enter her again, like the feeling was too good. We stopped moving. I withdrew myself from her and turned her around so that she was resting on her front just when she was about to whine. I covered her body with mine again and resumed my attack at her cunt. 

I was forceful. I went in and out of her with restlessness. In and out, in and out, in and out. She was moaning, her mouth hung open. I covered it with mine, silencing her with my tongue and when I got bored of that sloppy kiss, I nibbled on the back of her neck, leaving marks, identifying her as mine. “Έλα”, I whispered in her ear. “Έλα σε εμένα”. 

Our moves where becoming despaired and I couldn’t help but try to find some friction against the back of my hand as I fucked her. “Τελειώνεις;” I asked in Greek again, to mess with her head. She had once told us in class that she found the Greek language to be very sensual, so I used that for my own advantage. 

“Ναι, ναι, ναι, κοντεύω”. I didn’t expect her to answer me, but I was glad she did. I was glad. 

I moved faster and harder and felt my mind go slowly blank. She kept murmuring and I felt her walls clench around my fingers, I added another finger and she came fast and hard, her orgasm lasting long so I let go as well, coming all over my underwear and hand. 

I fell on her, pressing her on the mattress. I tried to get off of her but I had no power to do so. “Carol, I just need a minute”.

”Take all the time you want. Tender is the night”, she sighed. Her hands moving under the pillow. She closed her radiant eyes.

”Tender is the night”, I repeated. She didn’t answer. She must have fallen asleep.

 

 

* * *

 

 “Έλα” (Ela) means “come”

“Έλα σε εμένα” (Ela se emena) means “come to me”

“Τελειώνεις;” (telionis?) means “are you cumming?”

“Ναι κοντεύω” (Ne kondevo) means “Yes I am close”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Write your thoughts to me!


	7. The ‘I love you’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am back, bitches!

Wednesday, 11/11/2016

 

“I’ll come to your emotional rescue, I’ll come to your emotional rescue! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh..” I sang as I poured water into the coffee machine and pressed the button, waiting for the significant beeping sound that I so adored. I bent down to put on my uggs and fix my leather tights when I heard the beep. I lifted myself up and grabbed the pot, pouring some coffee to my favourite hand-painted white cup with the mosaic patterns. It felt easy, living alone, even for just a while. It was... liberating. It was just me and my dog, a beautiful terrier named Cecilia (which is actually based on the character in Ian McEwan’s book “Atonement”). Now that I was alone, the house felt so big, not that it wasn’t, and its modern decor made it almost cold. I found it weird for my mother, a baby boomer, to have the house decorated in millennial style. Even I didn’t like it. There were plants, not that I wasn’t a plant mum myself, and white linens, fluffy pillows and bowls filled with avocados everywhere. It didn’t feel like home but I was grateful that I was alone in it. I thought of going shopping after school, buy some stuff to make it more cosy and homey and I knew it wasn’t worth it, I would leave my mother anyway. But I decided that I would go. The things wouldn’t go to waste, I would move them home when I could finally move out. 

 

I still had time for school, even though I had already missed the three first periods, when I decided to make a list with all the things that I would need. I grabbed a pen and a piece of paper from the room we used as an office, well the room I used, and sat at the kitchen bar stool. I numbered the items I wanted; sandalwood scented candles, a gold vase, which turned out to be Versace, an elegant and yet interesting wallpaper, that I actually ordered online from Hermes along with a brown belt, some painting that portrayed naked women in black and white and generally some abstract art, some ashtrays for the cigarettes I didn’t normally smoke, a plaid armchair, a blue one, and some light brown paint for the walls so that I could paint my room at the weekend. I, then, went back to my office, opened the fourth drawer and took my father’s car keys from there even though I wasn’t technically allowed to drive, in fact, it was illegal. I took the cup, the list, which I shoved in my left shirt pocket and my MK bag, the contents of it just my makeup, my keys, iPhone, a pencil case, my Ancient Greek book and my Latin one. The school had become a hobby now. The purpose of it simple and specific. 

-Do well in the test, get accepted in the university you desire. 

I went to the garage and got into my dad's old black Mercedes Jeep and hit the road. I even put some music as I drove, a tape from Rolling Stones that I bought from eBay and sang along,   _She comes in colours everywhere;_ _She combs her hair._ _She's like a rainbow._ _Coming colours in the air._ _Oh, everywhere._ _She comes in colours._

I arrived quickly and I parked outside of the school, not in the parking lot, out of fear of being seen. I got out took my bag and went in.

"Oh, you're early". said the guard as he saw me walking towards the building. I didn't reply to him, I just smiled sarcastically at him and minded my own business.

 

* * *

 

 

I was sat at my desk and didn't pay attention to a thing Mrs Aird was saying. I was lost in my thoughts and I realised that _I couldn’t keep up with how quickly the time went by. We were already in November. The cold was more intense and people began going out less. It was autumn. Big rakes of leaves gathered to the ground, people were wearing their flannel shirts and their colourful scarves. Lovers wondered around wrapped together._

_Cold weather made people come closer with each other emotionally. Oh, how I craved to come closer with her._

_Now with the cold, she wore more warm and fluffy clothes that made her utterly huggable; her curves, covered with one of her leather leggings seemed delicious. I was dripping all day long! I was wet all the time and it wasn’t because of the rain. I always carry an umbrella when it’s cold and cloudy outside._

_On November the 7th, I was sat just in front of her desk, so close to her that, sometimes, when she breathed out, her breath would move around all my papers and my pages. I could smell that breath, so feminine and somehow quite musky, strong coffee and mints. And I could also smell her Hermes perfume constantly, so much that I wanted to go to the mall to buy it and spray it on my sheets so that I could fall asleep with her scent. I was not looking at her, of course. Now that our regular seats were changed by the school board, I was sitting front row, my desk pressed together with hers. I could not look at her that easily now. I knew that whenever she looked up from her papers her eyes would end up on me. It made sense. I was the first thing she saw._

_Not that it wasn’t beneficial for my hungry eyes. It was. Because whenever she was asking something, which made looking at her both expected and wanted, I looked up and stared right at her honey-greyish orbs._

_Her eyes looked like a dear._

_I have always believed that all humans resembled, even a bit, to an animal. She was a dear. Her eyes stood, always, as proud as her stature and the way walked was beautiful; the ‘clicking’ sound of her heels on the cold antiseismic floor was a melody to me._

_We were talking about Baudelaire when the door opened. It was our headmaster, an adulterous and ill-minded bastard of a man, and he wanted to know which one wouldn’t be going to this year’s school conference. I gracefully raised my hand and waited to be seen. Carol wasn’t expecting me to stay back and not go. It was obvious from her expression. Her lips were forming a soft ‘O’ and she frowned. She commented something about my decision, a clever something since everyone in the class laughed and she moved her gaze to my lips._

_“Nothing to say, dear?” I have been looking awfully stupid. Her smile turned into a passionate laugh, not an unkind one. “Well, guess who will be coming every day at school”. Of course, she meant and it was my turn to get shocked. I thought that..._

_”But Mrs Aird, I thought that I would be staying home when the others are away?” I murmured slowly, making sure I made my intentions to stay home clear._

_“No, no. You’ll be coming here. A whole new schedule will be formed just for you since no one else is staying back. You haven’t many vacation days this year. You’ll come whether you like it or not”. Only if you’ve made you come first, I thought._

_Now, I was I staring at her with no shame at all. Was it because of her choice to use the verb ‘to come’? Was it because of her telling me that I had to be at school every day when others enjoyed the conference? I was thinking of all that while my eyes wandered at her face. And then my world turned into black._

_“I love you too”. I think she meant it as a joke, something light and fun to say during class. The headmaster stood there awkwardly still, his tie too loose and his black tailored pants too tight. The class laughed again and I was gone. She said ‘I love you’. She uttered those three words._

_I think that I had tears in my eyes then. She was staring at me, for no reason at all probably. But in my heart, she said those words to me and meant them. Maybe she understood my distress, my uncomfortableness. Maybe I did too. Yes, I did. Quite clearly. I lowered my gaze as the class began to chat away, Carol for some strange reason wasn’t paying attention to them. Maybe, I thought, she was writing something on the board. When I looked up, probably minutes later, she was still staring at me but her eyes were now sad._

"Mrs Belivet". a voice. Her voice. "Mrs Belivet". she said again and this time she brought me back from my daydreaming. 

"Um, yes, Mrs Aird."

"Is everything alright, Therese?"

"Um, no".

"What's wrong?"

"The moon, it's gone". I said and with that, I grabbed my bag, I went to the parking lot, got in my car and left.

 

I drove towards Zara Home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know how it is. Tell me what you think!


	8. Café “Paul”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I would like to remind you that English is not my native language. I am sorry for the mistakes I make. If you find anything wrong tell me in the comments bellow to have it checked!

Wednesday, 11/11/2016

There were all sorts of beautiful things at Zara Home and even though I wasn’t looking for much I ended up having pillows, linens, candles, cutlery, rugs, vases, laundry products, frames and paintings in my cart. It was as if I was building my life from scratch; and I sort of was. Near the exit were some vinyls and some CDs with contemporary music, and stuff like that, Christmas songs and ‘Dinner Essential Playlists’ as they called them and I happily picked some and put them in my cart as well. I wandered around a bit, looking at the gold-coloured decorations and home accessories before moving towards the cashier. The face of the early-twenties-aged girl was weirdly funny and I think I will always remember it. She was speechless, or, so I thought, before uttering; “Were you robbed, ma’am?” I looked at her with a blank face, my eyes burning into hers with soft anger before answering her question, “No, I wasn’t. What makes you think that?” “Well... almost everything gold that we sell is in your cart”.

”I see”. I was curt and annoyed at her, and she must have sensed that since she stopped talking and went to do her job. Since the bags were so many I couldn’t possibly carry them to my car, I gave her my name and address to have them sent home. I paid less than I thought and exited the store. I headed down the road to Intimisimi and entered. A gorgeous blonde in her early forties came to assist me to whatever I could possibly want. And weirdly, but also gladly she started flirting with me a bit. I knew my feelings for Carol but flirting doesn’t hurt anyone right? Her brown eyes were glowing and her skin was a radiant and yet pale shade of beige. She was very pretty. I asked for a lace black bra. I didn’t really need one, it’s just that it would be fun to watch the saleswoman’s face as I tried it on and asked her for her assistance with the straps. It didn’t cross my mind

that that

might have been extreme. I was underage but it didn’t look like I was. And I do not regret it. The bra that I picked was a very bold choice. It was almost transparent and my nipples would look incredibly yummy in this one. I knew that I wouldn’t be wearing it soon. The lack of companionship, romantic companionship, was not bothering me at all. Maybe it was because of my feelings for Carol but it still felt strange that I wasn't approached romantically from other people in my age. Not that I didn't like the attention I was getting from, mostly, older men. One would think that my bisexuality would probably make it easier for me to find someone and fuck and cure my constant hunger for sexual intercourse but it wasn't like that. That hunger did tantalise me but I could never give in the carnal pleasures without feeling something for the other person. Meaningless sex always seemed to me careless and sallow. I wasn't like that. But it's good to flirt around with people. I went into the changing room, got rid of my blouse and my modest white bra and put on the black-laced one. The cold in the store made my nipples harden and I couldn't help but look at my own reflection with lust. Oh, I'd sure fuck me, I thought. I straightened my brown tailored trousers, fixed my Tod's belt and moved the curtain that hid me from the people in the store, just a bit to look out. When I spotted the lady in black, you know, the one I have been flirting with.

“Um, sorry, miss... Um, could you possibly help me with the straps. I can't seem to get them right.” My voice sounded like honey to my own ears and I felt very proud of myself for being sweet and sexy enough to make the lady walk fast towards me and enter the room even faster. When she got in, I noticed her observing my reflection in the mirror with hungry eyes. When I met her gaze, she quickly straightened her back and went to fix the bra straps.

“You look wonderful, you know. The one you are buying this for is a lucky one”.

“I am buying it for myself. I don't need to have someone in my life to buy something and feel pretty”.

“Oh, I couldn't agree more with ya”. That was unexpected. An accent. I hadn't noticed it. “Look,” she continued, “I have never done this before... um... Would you like to grab lunch with me?” she said, her eyes filled with wonder and nervousness.

“Now?”

“Um, yeah. I am having my lunch break in about...” she looked at her watch, “six minutes”.

“Are you asking me out?”

“So what if I am?” she answered boldly and that boldness surprised me.

“Wait for me. I got to change”. She left and I quickly took of the lingerie, putting my blouse on without my own bra. I shoved it to my bag and grabbed the black one moving quickly to the cashier to pay. When I was done she was waiting for me next to the entrance of the shop.

 

* * *

 

I don't want to be mean, but as I was chatting with her, the little attraction I felt towards her vanished quickly and I realised that flirting with her was a big mistake. She was clearly interested in me and I wasn't interested in her. I felt guilty, of course, but I was still having fun with her. She was quite easygoing and my own shyness wasn't getting in the way of our small talk. My lunch-sized salad was tasty and the white wine that I was drinking made more outgoing and wittier that I normally am. Apparently I had some salad dressing on my cheek because she took her napkin and moved it towards my face to wipe it. But before she could-

“What the fuck is going on?” said a voice I knew quite well. A voice that haunted my dreams. Carol.

“What are you doing here?” I asked surprised and Danielle, the lady in black, moved back and shunk in her seat.

“Tell me what's going on here, Therese!” Carol was angry, her eyes were shining with rage and her face was red. I got scared.

“We're just having lunch and-”

"Who the hell are you?" asked Danielle clearly annoyed.

 

"I am a very important person to Therese. Now, get up and move away!" Danielle tried to speak, say something to make Carol go away but before she could utter something I asked her to leave as. She dropped some money on the table and left without a word. Truth to be told I was relieved. Carol sat at the table, took my fork and ate from my salad. I was looking at her with disbelief.

 

"Um, Mrs Aird.."she didn't look up at me."You're eating my food."

 

"Yeah. I am sitting with my student at Cafe 'Paul', having lunch. So how's life treating you?" She waved a hand at the waitress, ordering a Caesar Salad and an espresso.

We were at Cafe 'Paul' having lunch. I opened my mouth and spoke.

 

"Everything's good."

 

"You're lying" she said, clearly knowing me. She let go of my fork and food, wiped her mouth with my napkin and waited patiently for her salad. Out of kindness I left mine untouched.

 

"How's your husband?" I knew the gossip. The handsome lad was said to be sleeping around with other women.

 

"Does the whole school know?"

 

"It does, I am afraid".

 

"Truth to be told, I don't care about my husband". She moved her hand to fix her hair. "I have made such sacrifices for him, I gave up pieces of myself to make that marriage work but... God, what am I talking about with you?" she was nervous and embarrassed. I felt her uncomfortableness. She was talking to her student about her cheating husband. It was weird. But I didn't mind. Truth to be told, I wanted to know about her. I loved her, yes I loved her but I didn't know much. I wanted to know things.

 

"You can tell me, Mrs Aird. I don't mind. Really".

"You are an extraordinary girl, you know that? I feel like I've known you forever. Like I can tell you anything".

"Then tell me. Tell me anything you want". I said, her aura pulling me towards her like a magnet, not in a sexual way but as if I craved to comfort her.

"I will. Some day. Here at Cafe 'Paul'. I will". And with that she grabbed my fork and picked at my food again.

 

I was happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, loves... what do you think?


	9. Plato and Carol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bitches I am Back! This is smaller than usual, but I had you waiting for so long. Sorry, life happens.

The rest of our lunch was mostly spent in silence. Carol had shown me such a vulnerable state of her that I never thought that even existed. This made her seem so much real to me. She seemed true, and it made me realise that I was not lusting over a ghost, an imaginary lover. She was real. She existed. She had her own mind and soul. I never doubted that of course, I did not, but now, the realisation hit me hard, as if I was naked in a battlefield with bullets flying around me, on me. We sat there and happily ate our meals, silently stealing glances from each other. 

After a while, we got up. I moved my hand and took my car keys out of my bag. "You are not old enough to drive, are you aware of that darling?" _Darling_... I said nothing and she looked at me weirdly before muttering a goodbye. She came close to me as if she wanted to hug me and I came close to her too, but before we could actually hug each other she stepped back, straightening her back, moving to push the wind of her hair. I waved moving back a little and before I turned my back to leave, I saw a very gorgeous-looking Ms Gerhard smile silently at me. I turned and left without a word.  I moved to my car with my car keys still in my hand. 

The drive home was miserable. I turned on the radio and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't find a station that didn't play sad love songs. _Fuck me. Fuck me in the fucking arse!_ I thought about letting a random station play loudly in my car. I found traffic on the road and I got home after a one hour drive. I got in, threw my keys in my desk drawer and move to lay on the couch. I took a nap, little did I know I would sleep till the next morning.

 

11/12/2016

That morning was extremely easy. I woke up with a smile on my face for no reason at all. I brewed my coffee happily, and I dressed happily. It was raining outside. And I  remember Carol telling me she didn’t like the rain, at least when she was not at home. It was getting on her nerves not being able to drive. The road would become slippery and  I think she was probably afraid to hit the road. I, on the contrary, loved the rain. I adored the smell of the freshly wet grass. Reminds me of home. Of my father's beautiful garden full of all sorts of plants he couldn't keep in our small glass-covered greenhouse, which of course was full of plants as well. He even had planted some marijuana ones, even though he did not smoked pot. Before moving in with my mother, after his passing away, I had installed an automatic watering system, to keep the plants alive and well.

I purred my coffee in a thermos and took my umbrella and my car keys to go to school. 

It was indeed difficult to drive in the rain.

 

* * *

 

 

"Mrs Aird!" I nearly screamed, running towards her as fast as I could to reach her. "Mrs Aird!" I said again, now calmly, when we were close enough for her to hear me. I had climbed so many stairs, since I was studying in the library, to find her on the upper floor, supervising some seniors while they were writing their test. "You climbed up the stairs for me?" she asked her eyes staring at me in wonder. "Of course I did! I was wondering if I could possibly see you tomorrow? At your available hours?" She stood there, now looking at me mysteriously and somehow shyly. "What for, Therese?" I have reached the conclusion that she simply adored saying my name out loud. I think it gave her some kind of power, and I knew that because every time she was feeling confused or maybe unwell she would use my name repeatedly. And sometimes she used the possessive form of it (my Therese) and that could instantly drive me crazy and make me wet.

"I struggle with that homework you gave us. I have some questions about that translated Plato piece you gave us. And I am afraid that I cannot quite understand it. It seems strange to say the least. I don't know really. And according to you, I have to present it to the meeting we have next month", I paused to take a deep breath, and that was obviously a mistake since I filled my lungs with her dazzling perfume, before continuing "I don't want to let you down. I want to do it right".

"But, Therese, there's no way you can let me down! Do you have the text I gave you with you?" 

"Oh yeah, of course!" I said, reaching to my blue jeans' pocket to take the paper I had shoved in it, before handing it to her. "There", I said.

"Do you want me to retranslate it to you? This translation is a mess, but it was the best I could find".

"Yes. Yes, please".

"Ok, so it says that...Imagine, that within an underground housing, similar to a cave that has the entrance open to the light across the length of the cave, there are people there from their childhood and they are bound with shackles on their legs and in the neck, in order to stay pinned down and they can only see before them, without being able to turn around the head due to the bonds. Even imagine light from a fire burning far away and behind them. And between the fire and the captors and think of a road, parallel to which imagine a small wall, that has been placed by magicians".

"What?" I asked stupidly.

"It's Plato's Republic, honey. His texts can be very hard".

"Oh, God" I sighed, burying my face in my palms. 

"Let's go to my office. I will help you out".

"What, right now? Don't you have to supervise these kids?"

"I do. I'll just ask Abby to do it". she answered quickly. She took out her phone from her back pocket and dialled Mrs Gerhard. The short biologist arrived quickly. She winked at Carol and motioned us to go. 

When we reached her office she got it first and sat down at her desk. "Come in", she said, "and close the door".

 

She likes the door closed. Never leaves it open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, loves, how about you comment me your thoughts?


	10. Come Here

I closed the door and turned to watch her. She had placed her Louis Vuitton on bag on her wooden, patina-coloured, expensive looking desk. On it were several documents tidied up in piles, at the edge of it. On it was, also, a beautiful green lamp, a very classy one, similar to the one that I have on my own desk at my house, a small pot with tiny, alive thank God, white flowers, whose name I do not know. She mentioned to me to sit down on one of the light blue plaid armchairs in front of her. She then began to look for something I do not know. I took the liberty to look around, so I turned my head to take it all in.

Her office was amazingly homey. The walls were painted a nice beige and all of them were covered with tall bookcases, full of books about her science and novels, classic one she would probably teach her students about. I could barely make out Ian McEwan’s Atonement and Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina between the other books. On the wall behind her was a beautiful painting with nude women, the canvas covered in pale colours and shades of orange, filling the otherwise already full with bookcases wall. In the middle of the room, and under the desk, was a beautiful Turkmen carpet, an elegant Bukhara probably, in beige and pale red. Next to the door were an umbrella holder and a coat hanger, where she had apparently hung her white fur coat. The office vibrated class and elegance and I couldn’t help but notice-

“I cannot seem to find it!” said Carol.

“Find what?” I replied startled.

“My copy of the text. Nevermind. Come here.” I got up from where I was comfortably sitting and moved next to her. And when I did, I reached towards her to leave my copy of the text on her desk, my eyes fell at her décolletage and I couldn’t help but stare at the white lace that was covering her milky skin and that was caressing her soft nipples that was visible from her v-neck of her black and white sweater. Of course, I got scared that she might catch my gaze lusting over her, looking at the opening of that jumper so I moved my eyes to her black-slacks-covered thighs that were pressed together under her desk.

I felt warmth pool between my legs and a small amount of liquid leave my vagina to wet its opening. The image of her pressed thighs was even worse than that of her chest because I that I saw when I stared at her killer legs was my head between them and my tongue on her core.

I shook my head a bit, and still flushed, I lowered my gaze to the paper I left on the desk. Getting me wet only took her five fucking seconds and she didn’t even try to. I felt like a creeper, but now that I think about it, after all this time, I wasn’t one. Yes, my feelings harboured lust but I was in love with her and I knew it, deep in my bones. The feeling was pure; I was pure. I loved her. And she wasn’t, she isn’t, just a pretty face to stare at. She was, she is, more than that. She will always be. To me, she was my first love.

“Won’t you sit?” she asked after a bit, her eyes stuck on the paper in front of her.

“Sit where Mrs Aird?” that actually made her look up from that Plato text and her eyes met mine. It took her a moment to realize that there was indeed no seat for me to be seated on.

“Oh, right! Silly me. Wait here.” She quickly got up, not even bothering to grab her iPhone from its place on the desk and left, leaving the door open. Her phone dinged, and without really wanting to, I looked on the screen to see the notification.

It was a message from Mrs. Gerhard: _‘Remember yesterday when I dragged you into that gay bar, where I met that redhead?’_ I stared. I stilled and felt my soul leave my body. The phone chimed again and another message appeared on the screen. That one was also from Mrs. Gerhard: _‘She texted me. She wants to go on a date with me!’_ I heard the sweet dingdong of the device again but I couldn’t look at it. I quickly moved to the open window, letting my nostrils fill with air and looked down at the parking lot. And I am fucking afraid of heights but looking down at the empty parking lot, imagining myself falling off the window was better than spying on Carol, even if that made my palms sweat and my heartbeat quicken.

“Are you alright?” asked Carol, scaring me and making me turn from the window to look at her. My right hand had moved under my left b-cup boob to feel the beating of my heart. She looked at me sympathetically. She was carrying a chair, which she placed next to hers by the desk and as she sat down she motioned me to sit by her side.

“Let’s get started!” she said enthusiastically and eagerly as she turned her head towards me.

“Umm, sure,” I said, my mind drifting back to the messages on Carol’s iPhone. She must have sensed my uncomfortableness since her carefree gaze turned into one of concern and worry. She frowned her eyebrows and she moved closer to me, her hand moving to cup my face and caress my cheek.

“Hey, what’s the matter?” she asked, her voice deep and sweet, radiating care.

“I –I just…Just…” I couldn’t form a sentence. I was ever so lost, and her eyes… they were staring at mine and her hand was rubbing soothing circles on my cheek. I lowered the gaze to my seated legs, a small tear falling from my eye. She moved her hand under my chin and lifted my face. I was facing her again and she had tears that threatened to spill at her eyes as well. “Why are you crying?” I asked, moving slightly towards her, her breathing mixing with mine.

“Why are _you_ crying? Please stop! I cannot bear seeing you cry!” she said, tears staining her beautiful skin.

“How do you do it?” my voice was stronger now, more confident but the crying hadn’t stopped. And I didn’t even know why I was crying. “How can you care all the time? Not just for me, but for everyone. You are always kind, always helpful and even when you are angry; you are still there for everyone that might need you. How do you do it, Mrs Aird?”

“I don’t know. I have this… need. I want to care about all of you but, God; you guys do make it hard sometimes. When I was at your age, maybe younger, the teachers didn’t pay attention to us. They didn’t bond with us. And when I became a teacher I realized that the people I have in front need care and love just because they are human. So I vowed to help everyone that needed help, care for everyone that needed to be cared and love every one of you guys, even when it wasn’t easy to. It makes me feel human”.

I loved her. I loved the imperfect perfectness that radiated from her. She was so, so, so…

“Why are you crying, dear?” she asked again and I just shrugged my shoulders. “Come here, my Therese”. I got lost in her embrace and suddenly I felt my soul return to me. I felt light as if I was flying.

“I feel like I want to get to know you better”. I said bravely. But as soon as my words left my mouth, I regretted that bravery but not for long.

 “You want that, don’t you?” she asked mischievously her eyes still full of tears. I just nodded and she smiled at me. “Then you will, Therese. You will”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... what do you guys think?


	11. Screw Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I would like to remind you that I am not a native English speaker so if you find mistakes please inform me so that I can fix them! thank you darlings! I hope you enjoy this. More to come soonish!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little jump in the future. I think it's better to write it this way so expect some back and forth...

Friday, 03/24/2018

“May I Speak with Therese, please?” said Carol after opening my classroom door.

“Oh! You wanna tell her about that thing that we talked about with the council?” asked my professor, who was looking at her in awe, lustfully, his eyes roaming over Carol’s slender figure, his fingers toying with his comically large, and greyish, beard.

“Yes! That’s what I wanted her for. Can she leave the class for a bit? It will only take a minute. She’ll be back in a bit”. None of them had actually looked at me and that’s strange, of course, given the fact that they were talking about me.

“Yes. Yes, go with Mrs Aird, Therese. And… Good luck!” I got up slowly, moving towards Carol. She led me outside the classroom and into the toilet room. When we got in, her hands worked the lock and then found my neck, her body coming into full contact with mine. Our lips met and I felt dizzy as if my soul had left my body. The kiss was soft and slow, our mouths moving together in a sensual dance, free of worries and pain, her tongue darting out to brush against my lower lip, silently asking for permission to enter my mouth. Of course, permission was granted. Who was I to stop her? She was my sun.

“Hmm,” she murmured. “Coconut”. Her lips left mine and I was almost begging her to kiss me again.

“It’s that candy bar you gave me. The Bounty one.”

“Yeah, I know”.

“You really like giving me things to eat, don’t you?” We moved away from each other, our noses brushing gently as we did so.

“What?” asked Carol, slightly stunned at my confession, “What do you mean?”

“You always find something for me to eat. It started with a French macaron and now look at us. Minutes ago, you gave me your son’s candy bar”.

“Well taking care of you just comes naturally, I suppose”.

“Oh, I do know, Carol. And do you know what comes naturally to me with you?” She shook her head ‘no’. “Fingering you comes naturally to me,” I said as I watched her gulp, “Going down on you comes naturally to me, hearing you moan my name as I rest between your beautiful thighs, as I lick your clit restlessly. And God, do I love hearing your moans”.

“Jesus, why are you doing this to me now, Therese?” her face was red and her neck and cheeks so flushed, I could almost see the veins in her body vibrating with lust.

“Because, baby, I want you all hot and wet and ready for me. Come by my place tonight somewhere around 9 o’ clock. I’ll even cook for you. How does that sound?” I immediately regretted my words as they left my mouth. I was being bold but was there a point in being so? I was not the dominant party in our so-called (by me) relationship but then again, neither was she.

“S– sounds g–good”

“Hmm,” I murmured, “okay then. See you tonight”. I quickly left the small white-tiled room. Instead of returning to class I went off to take a ticket from the headmistress’ office to leave school. And after I got it, then I went into the classroom, not to resume the lesson, but to pack my things.  

The ride to the groceries store near my father’s house was very fast. It normally took me about forty-five minutes to get home, or anywhere near it, but somehow I managed to reduce that time to only fifteen. I parked my car in front of the store and moved towards it. I wondered if the owner would remember me.

Paul Ferguson was a California–raised Irishman, he and his late wife, whose name I cannot remember, lived a couple of blocks away from my house. He owned a small, cosy groceries store, near his house. I hoped he remembered me. He was always fond of my father, and I have many good memories with him. He had a son, Jason, who used to come over for playdates when we were younger.

“Hello, Mr Ferguson.” I said when I saw him in front of the shop, a cigarette in his hand.

“Hello,” he said cheerfully but it was evident that he had no idea of who I was. I got in with a huge smile on my face. He hadn’t changed a lot. I grabbed a cart and went on picking what I needed for the meal and what I would probably need for a week or so, staying home.

In half an hour I was already in front of my house. I got out of my car, grabbing my backpack and the as many bags of groceries as I could safely carry. When I reached the front door, I left the paper bags down to grab my keys to open the door. I left everything in the house and returned to my car to take the remaining bags and to lock it. I placed all the bags to the counter next to the almost vintage fridge and then it hit me.

The house smelled of her. Of Carol’s perfume. Her rich, velvety scent was filling my nostrils. It was everywhere as if the house was designed by her, as if the walls were built by her hands and the furniture picked out by her. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

The house was almost empty. My mother had sold almost every piece of furniture; the only things remaining in the house were the stove, the fridge, the counters, the queen sized bed in the guestroom, an armchair with the colours of Clan Cameron in the study and a brown leather loveseat in front of the fireplace.

Maybe I could fuck Carol on that couch.

I checked my watch. It was only 11:05 and I was expecting Carol to be here at 21:00. I had plenty of time to go buy a proper bed and nightstands and a dresser to put my clothes in. Oh! And take the things I had purchased from Zara Home for my house from my mother’s house.

I put the vegetables, the Chardonnay and generally everything that needed to be chill, in the fridge, leaving the flour the spaghetti, the noodles and the soy sauce on the counter.

I quickly went up the stairs to the guestroom, where I kept my things, and grabbed my black Michael Kors crossbag and went down again to retrieve my wallet and my keys from my school bag. I got out and left the house, locking the door behind me.

I arrived back to my previous residence and knocked on the door. It was answered by my mother’s boyfriend.

“Oh, Therese! I certainly was not expecting to see you!” he said surprised. He was wearing only a pair of plaid boxers and some badly knitted socks. He had a hard-on. Jesus Christ.

“I came by to grab some things. Could you possibly help me carry them to my car?”

“Oh, um, sure, yeah”. He moved from the door to allow me to get in and as I crossed the house to go to the storage room I couldn’t help but notice that the TV was on and some weird porn video for a production company called ‘PureTaboo’ was paused. Jesus Christ!

I opened the door and grabbed a large box with my name on it and handed it to him. He silently took it and moved to exit the house.

“Oh, for the love of God! Are you seriously gonna go out in your freaking underwear?” He quickly placed the box down and retrieved his khaki pants from the couch. He quickly pulled them on and unfortunately his boner was still very much obvious. He took the box again and left the house. I took another box as well and followed him to my car. I gently left the box down and unlocked the car for him.

“Put it in the backseat, please. I need space in the trunk”. He said nothing and did as I asked. After he had neatly placed both of the boxes we had taken out from the house he went in to take two more.

When I had the vase, the cutlery, the pillows, the linens, the rugs, the candles, the paintings and the laundry products on my back seat, I started the engine of my car and drove towards a furniture maker, whose sign I had seen driving to my mother’s house.

The shop has huge and dusty, probably because of the wooden pieces of furniture that were displayed there. A man with ripped, dusty clothes came to help me navigate the shop. He was most likely in his mid-fifties, and he had a pencil placed behind his ear.

“How may I help you, miss?” I smiled at his politeness and told him that I was looking for a four-poster bed, matching nightstands and dresser. He showed me to a large, light brown, oak king-sized bed. I felt completely in love with it. I certainly could imagine myself sleeping in it with Carol in my arms, her head resting on my shoulder. Next to it were its matching bed tables and near it a simple, yet elegant, dresser. I loved it and, of course, I bought it. I also bought two mirrors, on in the shape of the sun and one full–sized.

“Can they be delivered to me today?” I asked innocently.

“Of course miss. They can be delivered to your place in roughly an hour. Would you like to purchase a mattress as well?”

“Oh, yeah! That would be amazing. Thank you!” I gave the man my address and he said they would be home to place the items I bought at noon. I thanked him once again and drove to this home store near the mall. I bought some plates and cups and bowls and glasses and headed home. Half an hour later, three men came in and arranged the bed under the beige carpet I had placed on the floor and on it they settled the mattress. Next to the bed, they put the nightstands. The dresser was placed near the bathroom door and above it the hanged the sun-shaped mirror. I tipped them generously and I place the full–length mirror opposite to the bed, next to the bedroom door. I brought my suitcases from the guestroom and put all my clothes in it. I hopped onto the bed, laptop in hand, and ordered a washing machine, an iron for the clothes, an end table, a duvet and some armchairs. They would be delivered to me next week. I got up and moved downstairs. When I reached the kitchen, I took out of one of the boxes the laundry detergent and the linens and pillowcases and moved to the bathroom upstairs to wash them in the tub. Since I wanted to use the bed tonight, fresh linens had to be placed on it.

It took me some time to wash them thoroughly and when I was done, I moved to the balcony and placed them on the fence gently and carefully. I hung on the fence the one blanket I had taken from the house as well, just to let the fresh air cleanse it. I went back downstairs to bring up the shower gels, the conditioners, the shampoos, the toothpaste, the two toothbrushes and the two bath sponges I had purchased from Mr Ferguson’s shop. I also draped over my shoulder the two bathrobes I had once bought from Zara Home.

I hopped into the bathtub and took a shower. I had to get ready.

 

* * *

 

 

By eight o’clock in the afternoon, the linens were dry and the bed was already made. My toiletries were neatly placed in the bathroom cabinet, the fireplace in the living room was lit up and the dishes were washed and ready for use. I had even straightened my hair. I didn’t have any make up one but truth to be told I was not in the mood for it.

I wanted food. And sex.

The doorbell rang and I almost tripped on my way to the door. I checked my hair a bit with my hands and opened the door.

“Hey”, said Carol.

“Hi. You’re early”. I said quickly but not unkindly.

“Yeah, couldn’t wait. Um, are you gonna let me in?” she asked silently and I almost hit my head on the door for being so stupid and making her wait outside, in the cold weather.

“Oh, sorry, sure come on in!” I stepped back to let her get into the house. When I closed the door, she moved next to me, her hand brushing against my hip as she whispered in my ear,

“I brought you some wine”. I didn’t say anything. Instead, I took the bottle from her to place it on the counter and after that I immediately grabbed her by the waist, crashing our lips together.

It was a sensual kiss, her tongue fighting with mine for dominance, as somehow I had her pressed against the door. Breathlessly, I broke the kiss and moved my lips to her jaw, licking slowly towards her ear. I swirled my wet muscle against her soft skin and she moaned, sweetly and impatiently. My hands had found her hips and I was grinding her against me and her hands were lost somewhere in my once straightened hair.

I bit her earlobe and she almost screamed the word ‘bedroom’.

I backed away from her and took her hand, smiling sweetly at her. I guided her towards the newly furniture bedroom. I did not close the door behind me. And neither did she. For the first time, she left it open, probably not caring if the whole neighbourhood heard our lovemaking.

One thing I knew for sure that night. I was gonna make her scream. Screw dinner.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, how was it?


	12. Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is a little short and rushed but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to ms wondaerlust for loving my story so much (her words, not mine)  
> Enjoy!

The kissing was fierce. My mouth had claimed hers and our bodies were fully pressed against each others'. I could feel how hot her skin was against mine and surely my cheeks and neck must have been flushed with need. I moved my kisses to her jawline and I heard her moan under my ministrations. I never felt more awake.

“I want you”, said Carol, moving slightly away from me and I was about to whine but she quickly got rid of her blouse and undid her brown Hermes belt. She removed it from her beige tailored slacks and let it fall to the floor.

“What are you doing? This belt costs a fortune!” I mumbled but my gaze was not on the belt that was lying on the floor. It was on her white-lace-covered breast, the nipples, slightly hard, pressing against the delicate cloth. She undid the button of her pants and unzipped them. She then bent down a bit to remove them and the pumps that she was wearing.

“You, darling, are wearing too many clothes”. I was looking at her in awe. I was so lucky to call this woman mine.

No. She wasn’t mine. The diamond ring on her finger was not bought by me. She wasn’t legally bound to me. She belonged to someone else. My face was filled with sadness and she must have sensed that.

“What’s the matter?” she asked concerned but her eyes were still shining with lust and need.

“Nothing. Everything is fine.” I shred my clothes off, leaving me only in my underwear. I moved towards her and embraced her. The heat and the passion of the moment hadn’t disappeared but I needed her heart, only for a minute. She wasn’t mine.

She manoeuvred us on the bed and we were now facing each other. She laughed a bit, a sensual and naughty laugh, and I rolled over her. She was resting on her back and I was above her. I was in control. Maybe if I fucked her good enough, my movements filled with love and passion, she could love me back. Maybe. I stripped her of her bra and lowered my mouth on her right nipple, swirling my tongue over her hardened tip, my left hand gliding along the curve of her other tit, my thumb flicking the nipple I hadn’t in my mouth. I bit the tip slowly and licked it again, moving to the other breast.  Her back arched under my ministrations. I propped myself up to kiss her, forcing my tongue in her mouth and she moaned loudly against my lips. I propped myself up again, sitting on my knees between her legs, and I moved my hands behind my back to unclasp my bra. I brought them back in front of me and placed them on the edge of her lace panties, silently asking for permission to remove them. She nodded hurriedly and I hooked my fingers under the elastic and slid the underwear down her legs.

Once it was removed, I lowered my head and dragged my teeth against her pubic bone, biting lightly. The sting of the bite had her sharply inhaling and exhaling and she tugged on my tousled hair.

“Please. Please. I need you”. But I hadn’t even started.

“Can’t you wait a bit? I am so enjoying this.”

“No, come on! I have been dying to have your mouth on me”. And who was I to deny Carol her pleasure? I rubbed my nose a little on her pubic bone, inhaling the womanly scent of her arousal and lowered my mouth on her slit. I placed a tiny kiss on her clit. My lips became wet with her juices and I moved away, just a bit, to observe the wetness.

She was dripping. Literally. I coaxed some of her wetness with my index and middle fingers, bringing them to my mouth to taste her. We moaned at the same time.

“You taste so good”. I swirled my fingers with my tongue, just as I had done with her nipples and I moaned again. I was certainly in heaven. “You wanna taste yourself?” I asked seductively and I could see her gulp. She nodded like a mad woman, so I placed my fingers near her entrance, not penetrating her, coating them with her arousal and moved them to her mouth. She sucked them hard, her eyes rolling in the back of her head.

I had to have her now.

I removed my digits from her mouth and I manoeuvred myself to rest between her legs. I brought my face near her cunt and I slowly licked up from her entrance to her clit. I saw her grab the sheets underneath her and I felt myself getting close to a high, without even having been touched down there yet.

The tiniest of moans escaped her when I slid two fingers into her. My mouth hadn’t left her cunt and I sucked on her clit as I moved inside of her with absolutely no resistance, curling slightly, massaging her sweet spot over and over again.

“Therese!” she moaned. I moved my gaze from her chest to her face. Her eyes were closed, and her back was arched. I moved harder and I sucked harder too. My pace wasn’t rushed but my movements were tough. Her moans and the pornographic sound of wetness were the only things I could hear. Nothing else mattered. Her hips were moving frantically along with my rhythm.

“Oh god” she almost screamed. Her breath was rapid and I felt her walls pulsing and throbbing around my fingers. “Oh There- god-d-ah!” she moaned so loudly, I was sure the neighbours were able to hear her. Her head fell back against her pillow and her back relaxed. I slowed down my pace into a gentle and slight movement. Her body grew limp and I removed my fingers from her entrance, I got up and tasted her. So divine.

“Come on. Get up”. I said playfully.

“No, come back here”. She whined.

“No, my lady. We need food. I promised you I would cook for you”.

“You also promised me sex. We are not done here. I want to taste you”. Carol propped herself up on her elbows and smiled at me seductively.

“Who says we are done here? First food, then sex. There is a robe for you in the bathroom there”, I said as I pointed to her the bathroom door, “Come along Mrs. Aird”. I smiled and left the room to go to the kitchen to cook us something to eat. I wanted sex but I had to eat first if I wanted to be able to have it. I needed energy. I had to make her mine.

It was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well? It is so hard for me to write sex... so how was it?


	13. It's Not a Children's Play!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to remind you guys that English is not my native language. Happy reading!!

03/05/2017

Now that the holiday season was behind me, I had plenty of time to view my work. My writing work.

 

I used to love Christmas as a child. The whole festivity of the season, the carols, the wrapped gifts we would place under the tree, which was decorated with multi-coloured ornaments and toys, the food and the drinks and the heavy winter scents that were filling my nostrils unapologetically. Christmas was the best time of the year. The most wonderful time of the year. My father used to take me out shopping for trees and for gifts and clothes and my mother would be waiting at home, cooking and smiling. My parents were good together. But now, after my father's passing, I can't help but wonder if it was all just an act. You see, I always wanted the love my parents had. And that's the reason why I couldn't settle for anything less than perfect. When you see perfection right in front of you why choose something less than that? I was young, of course. I still am. I have all the time in the world to find someone that is the perfect man- or woman- for me. And I truly believed that I had found them. The person that was able to sweep me off my feet and give me the moon and the stars. The person I knew I would do anything for. The kind of love I would cross oceans for. And that person was Carol. Too bad she was married.

 

I opened up my computer and took a seat at my desk, in my father's office. I had put in my white mug, the one with the 'Good Morning' print on it, some streaming black coffee. I opened the file with my play's name and went on to finish the final act. The play was about a love story, of some sort, but it was not entirely about that. It was a story about duty and sacrifices. About finding yourself. The protagonist was a female woman in her late thirties. She was somehow based on Carol. I changed a few things, of course. She was happily married, unlike Carol, but she did cheat on her husband and she was just as stubborn and strong-willed. Just as pure sometimes. Just as naive. But she was helpful and kind and openminded, like the woman that haunted my dreams. Only the details about her were different. She wasn't described as blond and she wasn't a teacher. She wasn't a writer or a reader. She didn't play the piano. She was everything Carol was, but at the same time, she wasn't. 

Three hours later, and after two cups of coffee, one glass of scotch and many visits to the bathroom, the play was finished. It didn't turn out as I was expecting it to, but it was just as good. The ending was leaving the reader, and hopefully one day the viewer, with a touch of sadness, but also with a touch of atonement. 

The analogue watch on my wrist informed me of the time. It was late, past midnight and tomorrow, well technically today, was Monday. A school day.

I went to my room and changed into my burgundy nightgown and laid down on the bed, under the covers. I made myself comfortable and closed my eyes. It was only now that I was laid in bed that I felt my tiredness overtake me. And sleep came easily.

 

03/06/2017

I woke up early. I didn't have a problem with it of course. But usually, I liked to snuggle in bed until I really had to get up to start my day. But because of the coffee that I had consumed yesterday night had kicked in, staying in bed was useless. I was wide awake. The time, according to my watch was a quarter to six. I got out of bed and moved to my dresser to pick out my outfit. I settled with burgundy slacks, a white t-shirt and a thick black cardigan that was made of wool. Truth to be told I didn't like the way it looked on me. It made my arms look fatter than they already were. I guess I have sailing to thank for that. But since I am being honest, if it weren't for sailing I probably wouldn't have the abs I have now. And probably my legs wouldn't be toned and muscular. They would have been either skinny or fat. I picked out some white lace underwear and moved to my en suite bathroom to shower and wash my hair. I undressed and moved in the tub. I set the water to hot and washed my body thoroughly with my Cleopatra soap and decided to shave as well. I picked up my pink Bic razor from the cabinet, it wasn't hard since it was located next to the tub, and shaved my legs using soap instead of foam. I shaved my armpits as well and after I rinsed, I picked up my shampoo and washed my hair. I applied the conditioner and left it for a minute. I rinsed again and got out of the tub. I peed and got dressed and put on my white ankle uggs. It was not the perfect match with the outfit but it was way too cold outside to wear Stan Smiths or flats. I sprayed some perfume on me and I was ready to leave.

My MK backpack was already set with everything I needed for the day and I printed out my script to reread at school when I had the time to.

I grabbed my coat and my car keys and left to go to Starbucks and get a coffee. Probably grab something from there to eat as well. I settled for a hot latte and vegan sandwich with tofu. It was awful but I ate it. I was hungry. I looked at my watch again, apparently, it had become a habit of mine to do that. I still had more than a few minutes to spare but I had nothing to do so I decided to just go to school early.

I arrived earlier than I thought I would so I parked my car in the teachers' parking lot and quickly went to the entrance of the schoolyard and sat on a bench there. I took out of my bag my script to reread it, hoping that I wouldn't find any mistakes or any plot holes. I read the first page carefully and moved to the second and then to the third. But when I was about to turn another page, I heard someone call my name. 

Oh, goody. The person calling my name was Carol.

She was dressed very elegantly. She was wearing a brown and beige pashmina over her white coat and I think I could see a white dress from under all the layers she was wearing. She held the hands of her twin boys and on her shoulders were their two backpacks and her Louis Vuitton bag. The one with the brown squares. Not the one with the logo.

"Hey, Therese! Good morning!" She had minimal make-up on. She was smiling at me. She was perfect.

"Good morning to you too, Mrs Aird."

"Have you met the boys?" She lowered her head, moving it right and then left, pointing the boys in that way.

"I believe I have not!"

"Well," said Carol with a proud look on her face, "this shy young man over here", she was pointing with her head at the boy that was standing on her left, "is Steve and this is Denis. This young lady is one of my students. Therese". 

I extended my hand to Denis first, who by the way looked a lot like Harge, and the boy confidently shook my hand with a small smirk on his face.

"I see that with this confidence he will be a heartbreaker, isn't that right?"

"Oh, I am sure he will!" replied Carol whilst throwing her head back, laughing. Trying not to stare at her breathtaking laughter, I moved closer to Steve to meet him as well. 

"Hey there," he was indeed shy. He was almost hiding behind Carol. "I am Therese!" I said kindly and cheerfully. He moved from behind her and I got the chance to see his face. He was a spitting image of his mother. A little Carol. A... boy... Carol.

He smiled at me softly and I got enamoured with him. He looked like such a sweet child. I felt like he was my own son. And then Steve did the one thing I did not expect him to do. He hugged me. His little arms hooked around my neck and he squeezed me lightly. I let a small chuckle of surprise and looked at Carol who was smiling down at us.

"I forgot to tell you that he is a hugger". She said, her smile turning even bigger than before. When Steve broke the hug, he looked at me sweetly and said;

"I have heard so much about you, Therese. Mommy always speaks about you". I arched an eyebrow at Carol and replied with sass.

"Is that so?"

"Alright, boys. Off you go! Go find your friends!" she said, handing them their bags. The twins run towards the building and waved me 'goodbye'. When the boys got into the building Carol took a seat next to me. The bench was very small so when both of us were sat our knees and shoulder blades were touching.

"What are you reading there?" she asked after a while.

"Oh, it's just a play that I wrote. I am checking it for errors."

"Can I read it?" she asked very quickly, her eyes were filled with hope and enthusiasm.

"Um, I don't- sure."

 

When she got at the end she left a small moan of surprise, like she was not expecting this outcome. After reading it carefully at least two times she turned her head to look at me and she said, sincerely. 

"We should put it on. We really should, Therese! It is amazing. Very well written and the characters are so... I feel so connected with the protagonist. It's... I have no words to describe it!"

"Oh, thank you for your kind words but I don't know, it's still-" The headmistress was coming towards us.

"Good morning. You are both early", she said, but not unkindly.

"Hey Amy," said Carol. Wait our headmistress' name was Amy? What the- "Therese wrote a play. We should put it on!"

"Sure, Carol. That would be nice. The children need to see something from the older kids of this school. Good idea. Talk to you later though. I have a meeting with our school's president!" she moved to go quickly, not waiting for a reply.

 

But Carol and I shouted at her at the same time; "It's not a Children's play!" We looked at each other and burst out laughing. Today was going to be a good day.

 


End file.
